Truman School returns to normal
Enrollment increases
as mold and asbestos cleanup completed
It’s back to normal for students at the Harry S. Truman School in Sayreville.
Students returned to the Taft Place school last Wednesday after a four-day delay. The school was scheduled to open on Sept. 7, but mold, and even asbestos found in the school prompted school officials to delay that opening.
"Everyone felt that we did what was best for everyone’s health and safety," said Truman School Principal Linda Coffey.
Parents picking up their children from the school on Monday expressed little concern over the asbestos and mold removal.
Instead, most said that they were confident that the hazard was removed and said they were pleased with the district’s decision to delay the opening and correct the problem immediately.
Coffey said registration at the school over the first few days has gone up every day since the official opening on Sept. 13.
Coffey believes that the delay in enrollment had nothing to do with the asbestos and mold found in the school, but that the school year always begins with some delay in student enrollment.
"Enrollment was down the first day because parents weren’t sure if school was open or not," said Coffey.
There are about 590 students now enrolled at the school which houses grades K-4, according to Coffey.
Coffey said that the number is close to the projected enrollment of about 600 for this year.
Coffey also said she has not received any complaints from parents over the past few days regarding the asbestos and mold found at the school.
"I have had no complaints," said Coffey. "The community was absolutely wonderful."
Coffey said the old carpet was subsequently replaced with new vinyl tiles, and will be a safer, cleaner way of maintaining the school.
On Sept. 12, in the afternoon, district officials finally received approval from the state to reopen the school.
The delay was first announced by district officials on Sept. 4 after they discovered the mold on rugs, furniture and ceiling tiles in the school after school employees began taking up carpeting on the floors of the school.
The mold, according to officials, may have been a result of a moisture problem associated with a newly installed air conditioning system during a cool, damp summer.
At that time officials had hoped to reopen the school on Sept. 11, but ran into yet another problem – asbestos.
In order to remove the carpeting, workers had to remove the vinyl tiling under the carpet because it had been cemented together so tightly.
But asbestos was discovered under the old vinyl tiles.
In order to remove any asbestos from the building, school officials had to obtain a permit and approval from the state.
Officials have since removed the carpeting and tiles and replaced it with new asbestos free vinyl tiling.
In addition, books and other surfaces throughout the school were sanitized to ensure that any remaining asbestos was removed.